Omnidirectional clock

ABSTRACT

A clock has a clock face in the form of an axially symmetric solid, e.g. a sphere, a cone or a cylinder. Clock hands extend around the clock face following a helical path, and time-indicating markings are arranged on all the surfaces of the face. It is therefore possible for a complete set of these markings to be seen from any direction relative to the clock face. The hands are normally driven by a conventional clock movement, there being an hour hand and a minute hand. However, it would be possible in some applications to have only a single hand, e.g. a minute hand, and to drive the clock face relative to the hand. The markings are arranged along helical paths, corresponding to the helical shape of the hands.

The invention relates to a clock.

According to the invention there is provided a clock having an axiallysymmetric clock face with a set of markings thereon arranged so that acomplete set can be seen from any direction relative to the clock face,and helical hands arranged for rotation relative to the face about theaxis of symmetry.

The invention will be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate various embodiments of theinvention, which are given by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a clock constituting a first embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the clock of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a clock constituting a second embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the clock of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a underneath view of the clock of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a clock constituting a third embodiment of theinvention, and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing how the clock face markings aredistributed.

The clock of FIG. 1 consists of a fixed outer transparent sphere 1within which an inner opaque sphere 2 is non-rotatably mounted by meansof pins 3, the inner sphere 2 being provided with an hour hand 4 and aminute hand 5 rotated about the pins 3 by a known clockwork mechanism(not shown) located inside the inner sphere 2. In this case the hourhand 4 is striped while the minute hand 5 is plain but they could ofcourse be differentiated from each other in other ways. Both hands 4 and5 have the same generally helical shape. Following the helix from onepin 3 to the other pin 3 completes a 360° turn, or somewhat more than360°, about the axis joining the pins 3. The surface of the sphere 2 isdivided by four lines 6 (two of which are hidden in the Figures by thearms 4, 5), of the same helical shape as the arms 4, 5 into differentlycoloured regions 7, 8, 9, and 10. For example, region 7 could be redwhile region 8 was blue, region 9 yellow and region 10 green, to form aset of markings, but other ways of visually differentiating the regionscould be employed. Additionally, the surface of the inner sphere 2 bearsnumbers to assist in indicating the time, the numbers being upright inthe upper hemisphere and inverted in the lower. The quantity of sets ofnumbers could be varied for the sake of clarity, in clocks of varioussizes.

With a little practice, it is possible to tell the time by looking atthe sphere 2 from any direction. The time shown in all the figures is3.30; the hour hand being on 3 and the minute hand on 6. The sphere 1may be mounted on a stand or suspended from the ceiling.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5 is generally similar in constructionand operation to that of FIG. 1, except that the outer sphere 1 isreplaced by an outer cone 1' and the inner sphere 2 by an inner cone 2'.There are also three rings of upright figures instead of two. Thehelical shape of the four regions 7', 8', 9' and 10' and of the hands 4'and 5' is also suitably modified. The base of the cone 2' carries afurther set of numbers as shown in FIG. 5. This view corresponds to aconventional clock face, because the hands become straight where theypass over a flat surface.

Yet a further embodiment is shown in FIG. 6. Here, the outer sphere 1 isreplaced by an outer cylinder 1", and the inner sphere 2 is replaced byan inner cylinder 2". Otherwise the construction and operation of thisembodiment are similar to those of FIGS. 1 and 3 with appropriatemodifications the nature of which will be apparent on consideration ofthe embodiment of FIG. 6.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.Other axially symmetric shapes could be used. The inner sphere or othershape need not be opaque. The helical hands may make more than one turnabout the axis. Series of numbers arranged along the path of the armsmay replace the coloured regions. The arms may be outside the outersphere or other shape. The arms could be driven from outside the sphere.The combination of shapes could be varied; for example an inner spherecould be arranged within an outer cone, cylinder or cube.

If four sets of numbers are employed, a given number, say `7` can beseen from all sides of the sphere if the `7` in each set is arranged atthe corner of a rectangular tetrahedron, (see FIG. 7). If eight sets ofnumbers were employed, the tetrahedron would be replaced by anoctahedron.

In one advantageous embodiment, the regions are coloured buttransparent. This enables the movement of the clockwork mechanism to bewatched but reduces the distraction caused by seeing the numbers on theother side of the sphere, when compared with an uncoloured transparentsphere.

Instead of using inner and outer spheres, a single sphere only may beemployed.

I claim:
 1. A clock comprising a clock face with an annular clock facesurface which extends radially outwardly and axially from each endthereof toward the other end and which is thereby viewable from anyradial direction and both axial directions thereof, hour and minutehands mounted coaxially with the annular clock face surface for relativerotation with respect thereto, the clock face having a plurality of atleast four regularly spaced sets of time indicia each comprising aplurality of time indicia angularly spaced about the clock surface, eachof said hands extending in generally spaced parallel relationship withthe clock face surface between the ends thereof and extending angularlyat least 360° for indicating the hour and minutes with the clock faceindicia from any radial direction and both axial directions of the clockface surface, and a clock mechanism for rotating the hour and minutehands relative to the clock face.
 2. A clock according to claim 1wherein the hands are mounted to rotate outside of and close to theclock face surface.
 3. A clock according to claim 1 wherein the clockface surface is divided into a plurality of angularly spaced differentcolored regions extending axially and angularly about the surface.
 4. Aclock according to claim 1 wherein each set of time indicia comprises acircular arrangement of numerals coaxial with the clock face surface. 5.A clock according to claim 1 wherein the clock face has a generallysphere-shaped surface.
 6. A clock according to claim 1 wherein the clockface surface comprises an axially facing generally flat annular portionat least at one axial end of the clock face, wherein the sets of indiciainclude a set of indicia angularly spaced about said axially facingannular portion, and wherein the hour and minute hands each extendgenerally radially along said annular portion for reading the hour andminutes respectively from said one axial end of the clock face. .Iadd.7. A clock comprising a clock face with an annular clock face surface ofrevolution which extends radially outwardly and axially from each endthereof toward the other end and which is thereby viewable from anyradial direction and both axial directions thereof, hour and minutehands mounted coaxially with the annular clock face surface for relativerotation with respect thereto, the clock face having a plurality of atleast four regularly spaced sets of time indicia each comprising aplurality of time indicia angularly spaced about the clock surface, eachof said hands cooperating with the clock face surface between the endsthereof and extending angularly sufficiently for indicating the hour andminutes with the clock face indicia from any radial direction and bothaxial directions of the clock face surface, and a clock mechanism forrotating the hour and minute hands relative to the clock face. .Iaddend..Iadd.8. A clock according to claim 7 wherein the hands are mounted torotate outside of and close to the clock face surface. .Iaddend..Iadd.9. A clock according to claim 7 wherein the clock face surface isdivided into a plurality of angularly spaced different colored regionsextending axially and angularly about the surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. Aclock according to claim 7 wherein each set of time indicia comprises acircular arrangement of numerals coaxial with the clock face surface..Iaddend. .Iadd.11. A clock according to claim 7 wherein the clock facehas a generally sphere-shaped surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. A clockaccording to claim 7 wherein the clock face surface comprises an axiallyfacing generally flat annular portion at least at one axial end of theclock face, wherein the sets of indicia include a set of indiciaangularly spaced about said axially facing annular portion, and whereinthe hour and minute hands each extend generally radially along saidannular portion for reading the hour and minutes respectively from saidone axial end of the clock face. .Iaddend.